Trying to make sense of a wine label can be a daunting. Sometimes there seems to be no consistency. Which grape? Which region? Sparkling? Red? White? Dry? Sweet? It doesn't have to be confusing if you learn a couple of basic points.

Three Types of Wine

Wine can be divided into three categories: sparkling (Champagne, spumante); fortified (wine with alcohol added to it, such as port, sherry, cognac, and brandy); and still (all other wine).

Name That Grape

Outside Europe, the grape varietal is usually listed on the wine label. Within Europe, only German wines consistently list the grape. French and Italian growers list the region and expect you to know which grapes are grown there. (Don't panic; it's not that hard; see the next section). Below are some of the most popular grapes:

The Whites:

Chardonnay: Made popular by the California wine industry, this versatile grape is grown all over the world. Look for the word Chardonnay on American, South African, Australian, and Chilean wines.

Sauvignon Blanc (Fume Blanc): This acidic, crisp, dry wine is produced worldwide, an the best comes from California and New Zealand's Marlborough region. Sauvignon Blanc wines from California tend to be somewhat oakey, whereas the same wine from New Zealand's Marlborough region has tropical fruit (melon, mango, even pineapple) overtones. Sometimes called Fume Blanc, especially in California.

Chenin Blanc: an often-overlooked grape, Chenin Blanc is at its best when grown in the Loire Valley region of France. Here, it is called "Vouvray," a place name. Chenin Blanc is also grown in The United States and in South Africa where it is called "steen."

Riesling: Riesling is a fresh, crisp, highly acidic wine. It may be dry or slightly sweet. The best in the world comes from Germany and the neighboring Alsace region of France. Sometimes called White Riesling or Johannisberg Riesling.

Gewurztraminer: Literally, this grape name means "spicy grape from the town of Tramin," a town located in northern, German-speaking Italy. Gewurztraminer is a rather exotic, floral grape, and the best comes from the Alsace in France. The United States also produces Gewurztraminer, especially in Oregon and California.

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris: Pinot Grigio is an important grape throughout northeastern Italy. It is also grown in Germany where it is called "Rulander." Pinot Gris (the French spelling of the same grape) is grown in the Alsace region of France. This grape is also becoming more and more popular in Oregon and in California.

Syrah (Shiraz): Called Syrah in the old world (France) and Shiraz in the new (United States and Australia), this grape makes a full-bodied, slightly spicy wine. In France, Syrah is produced in the Rhone Valley in Southeastern France. It is the principal grape in Hermitage, Cotes du Rhone, and Cote Rotie wines.

Merlot: Often used as a blending grape, Merlot has become very popular, particularly in the United States. Much of the Merlot available comes from California and is labeled as such. One great exception: the right-bank of the Gironde river in the Bordeaux region of France is planted predominately with Merlot grapes. Some of the world's best Merlots, such as Chateau Petrus, come from this area.

Cabernet Sauvignon: The "king" of red wines, Cabernet is grown all over the world. In France, Cabernet grapes are grown in the Bordeaux (left bank) region. Here, they provide the base for some of the world's best wines (Chateau Margaux, Chateau Lafitte, to name just two).

Zinfandel: This dark, jammy, spicy wine is made from one of the oldest grapes grown in California. Although originally from the Dalmatian Coast of Yugoslavia, Zinfandel has found a perfect home in the cool coastal regions of California.

Sangiovese: This grape makes the full-bodied, lush red wines commonly associated with Italian wines. Grown primarily in Italy's Tuscany region, it is the principal grape in Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino wines (both place names).

France: the primary wine growing regions in France are Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, the Loire Valley, and the Rhone Valley. Under French law, only wine made in a particular region may be labeled as such. For example, only wines made in the province of Champagne can be called Champagne (everything else is sparkling wine). Certain grape varietals are particularly suited to specific areas.

Italy: Wine grapes are grown on every small plot of land available in Italy, but the best wines come from Tuscany, in the middle of Italy and the Veneto and Piedmont regions in the north.

Germany: The Rhine and The Mosel areas of Germany produce the majority of German wine. Most of Germany's wine is white wine: Riesling and Rulander (Pinot Gris).

United States: Although delicious wines are being grown in new areas of the country all of the time (such as Virginia), the majority of wine produced in the United States comes from three states: California, Oregon, and Washington state.

Spain: The bulk of Spain's wine, most of it red wine, is produced in the Rioja region, in north-central Spain, and the Ribera del Duero region, north of Madrid. There are also some very good white wines made in Galicia, in northwest Spain.

Australia: Australia's wine regions are mostly in the southern, cooler section of the country, particularly the states of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Within South Australia, look for wines from the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, and McLaren Valley.

New Zealand: Cooler than Australia, New Zealand's climate is greatly influenced by the ocean. New Zealand is a nation of two islands : North and South. On the North Island, wines are produced around Auckland and Hawkes Bay, known for its Cabernets. On the south island, Marlborough is the primary wine-growing region. Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay wines grown here take on a unique flavor with ripe tropical fruit overtones.

Other: South African wines are becoming increasingly popular and are generally more affordable than their European cousins. The five major wine-growing districts there are: Constantia, Durbanville, Stellenboch, Paarl, and Franschhoek Valley (a subdistrict of Paarl). South Africa's dominant grape varietal is Chenin Blanc, often called "Steen."

French wine law is the model for most of the world's wine laws. According to French law, there are four possible ranks a French wine can carry:

Appellation Controlee (AOC or AC): The highest rank.

Vins Delimites de Qualitie Superieure (VDQS): roughly translates to "A superior wine from a designated area"

Vin de pays Literally "country wine". Always followed by a place name. Generally refers to a much larger area than the first two designations.

Vins de table: ordinary French table wines that carry no geographic designation other than France.

Like France, Italian wine law has four designations that run along similar lines. The Italian designations are:

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG): a select group of 13 wines. The designation DOCG appears on the labels of these wines.

Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC): A group of 250 place-controlled wines.

Vino da tavolaL: followed by a place designation.

Italian table wine–Ordinary table wine: carries only the designation "Italy" on the label.

German wine laws also control the designation of place names. Unlike their French and Italian counterparts, however, German wine labels carry the grape name as well as the place name, such as Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling. The finest German wines also carry a "pradikat," an indication of the ripeness of the grapes in the wine. By German law, there are six levels of ripeness (listed from the least ripe to the ripest):

• Kabinett
• Spatlese
• Auslese
• Beerenauslese
• Eiswein
• Trockenbeerenauslese

In South Africa, about ten percent of the best wine qualifies as Wine of Origin (designated WO on the label). Based on French wine law, South African law strictly designates vineyards, allowable grape varietals, production methods, and vintages.

French:

• Blanc - White
• Rouge - red
• Clos - vineyard
• Vin - wine
• Vignoble - vineyard

Italian:

• Biano - white
• Rosa _ red
• Annata - vintage
• Fattoria - estate
• Tenuta - estate
• Vendemmia - vintage
• Vigna or Vigneto - vineyard
• Vino - wine

German:

• Halbtrocken - medium dry
• Trocken - dry
• Wein - wine
• Erzeugerabfullung - estate bottled
• Spanish:
• Bianco - white
• Bodega - winery
• Vino - wine
• Tinto - red
• Embotellado - bottled by
• Vendimia - vintage
• Elaborado - produced by

Other:

• Rose - light pink-colored wine, may be dry or sweet
• Estate bottled - bottled by the grape grower

Off to the Wine StoreArmed with your newfound knowledge of grape varietals, geography, and wine terms, you're ready to hit the wine store. Don't be intimidated. Buy the price and the grape that you like and enjoy the fruits of your labor.